Sunday, August 29, 2010

NOTE: CAPA officially pledges to "network with orthodox Anglicans around the world, including Communion Partners in the USA and the Anglican Church in North America, in holistic mission and evangelism." It also seems evident that, but for the Communion Partners, other TEC dioceses and funding will be declined. There has been an effort underway to establish "partnerships" between TEC dioceses that are not part of the Communion Partners community with African and other Global South dioceses. It appears from the communique that those days are now over, unless those dioceses "observe the agreed decisions and recommendations of the Windsor Report and the various communiqués of the past three Primates Meetings, especially Dar es Salaam in 2007." Be sure to read the footnotes as well.

1. In a spirit of unity and trust, and in an atmosphere of love the Primates of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA) as well as Archbishop John chew, the Chairman of the Global South, which represents the majority of the active orthodox membership in the entire Anglican Communion, met during the 2nd All Africa Bishop's Conference in Entebbe, Uganda. We enjoyed the fellowship and the sense of unity as we heard the Word of God and gathered around the Lord's Table.

2. We gave thanks to God for the leadership of the Most. Rev. Ian Ernest, Archbishop of the Indian Ocean and Chairman of CAPA and for the abundant hospitality provided by the Most Rev. Henry Orombi, Archbishop of Uganda and the entire Church of Uganda.

3. We were honored by the presence of the His Excellency General Yoweri K. Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, for his official welcome to Uganda and for hosting an official state reception for the AABCH. We are very grateful to him for his support of the work of the Anglican Church in Uganda and for his call to stand against the alien intrusions and cultural arrogance which undermines the moral fiber of our societies. We recall his admonishment to live out the words and deeds of the Good Samaritan. We are also grateful to the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of Uganda for his presence and words of encouragement to us.

4. We were very happy and appreciated that the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Dr. Rowan Williams, accepted our invitation to attend the 2nd All Africa Bishop's Conference. We were encouraged by his word to us. We also appreciated the opportunity to engage face-to-face with him in an atmosphere of love and respect. We shared our hearts openly and with transparency, and we have come to understand the difficulties and the pressures he is facing. He also came to understand our position and how our mission is threatened by actions which have continued in certain provinces in the Communion. We therefore commit ourselves to continuously support and pray for him and for the future of our beloved Communion.

5. We were very saddened with the recent actions of The Episcopal Church in America who went ahead and consecrated Mary Glasspool last May 2010, in spite of the call for a moratorium(1) and all the warnings from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion and the 4th Encounter of the Global South.

This was a clear departure from the standard teaching of the Anglican Communion as stated in Lambeth Resolution 1.10. We are also concerned about similar progressive developments in Canada and in the U.K. 6. Being aware of the reluctance of those Instruments of Communion to follow through the recommendations of the Windsor Report(2) and taken by the Primates Meetings in Dromantine(3) and Dar es Salaam(4) we see the way ahead as follows:

A. In order to keep the ethos and tradition of the Anglican Communion in a credible way, it is obligatory of all Provinces to observe the agreed decisions and recommendations of the Windsor Report and the various communiqués of the past three Primates Meetings, especially Dar es Salaam in 2007. We as Primates of CAPA and the Global South are committed to honor such recommendations.

B. We are committed to meet more regularly as Global South Primates and take our responsibilities in regard to issues of Faith and Order.(5)

C. We will give special attention to sound theological education as we want to ensure that the future generations stand firm on the Word of God and faithfully follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

D. We are committed to network with orthodox Anglicans around the world, including Communion Partners in the USA and the Anglican Church in North America, in holistic mission and evangelism. Our aim is to advance the Kingdom of God especially in unreached areas.

E. We are committee to work for unity with our ecumenical partners and to promote interfaith dialogue with other faiths in order to promote a peaceful co-existence and to resolve conflicts.

F. We are committed to work for the welfare of our countries. This will involve alleviating poverty, achieving financial and economic empowerment, fighting diseases, and promoting education.

7. Finally, we are very aware of our own inadequacy and weaknesses hence we depend fully on the grace of God to achieve his purpose in the life of his church and our beloved Anglican Communion.

FOOTNOTES:

1. The Windsor Report Section 134.1 The Episcopal church (USA) be invited to express its regret that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached in the events surrounding the election and consecration of a bishop for the See of New Hampshire, and for the consequences which followed and that such an expression of regret would represent the desire of the Episcopal Church (USA) to remain within the Communion(2) the Episcopal church (USA) be invited to effect a moratorium on the election and consent to the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate who is living in a same gender union until some new consensus in the Anglican Communion energies.

The Windsor Report Section 144.3 We call for a moratorium on all such public Rites, and recommend that bishops who have authorized such rites in the US and Canada be invited to express regret that the proper constraints of the bonds of affection were breached by such authorizations.

2. Windsor Report. Section D. 157 There remains a very real danger that we will not choose to walk together. Should the call to halt and find ways of continuing in our present communion not be heeded, then we shall have to begin to learn to walk apart.

3. The Communiqué of the Primates Meeting in Dromantine (2005) Section 14. Within the ambit of the issues discussed in the Windsor Report and in roder to recognize the integrity of all parties, we request that the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada voluntarily withdraw their members from the Anglican Consultative Council for the period leading up to the next Lambeth Conference.

4. The Communiqué of the Primates Meeting in Dar es Salaam in 2007. If the reassurances requested of the House of Bishops cannot in good conscience be given, the relationship between The Episcopal Church and the Anglican communion as a whole remains damaged at best, and this has consequences for the full participation of the Church in the life of the Communion.

5. Lambeth 1988 Resolution 18.2(a) Urges the encouragement be given to a developing collegial rule for the Primates Meeting under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury, so that the Primates Meeting is able to exercise an enhanced responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters. Lambeth 1998 Resolution III.6 (a) reaffirms the Resolution 18.2(a) Of Lambeth 1988 which "urges that encouragement be given to a developing collegial role for the Primates' Meeting under the presidency of the Archbishop of Canterbury, so that the Primates' Meeting is able to exercise an enhanced responsibility in offering guidance on doctrinal, moral and pastoral matters".

17 comments:

Though they sent Kearon, the TEO Continuing Indabans packing and sent the check back to Trinity, they embraced, listened to, communed with and did not confront the leader of a Province full of 'gay' clergy that has granted benefits to their 'partners/spouses', Archbishop Rowan Williams.

Moreover, the Windsor/Lambeth 98 Resolution 1.10 is not a truly biblical standard, but a compromise for it forbids only the consecration of 'gay' bishops, does not expressly forbid 'gay' priests or the assertion/assumption of 'gay' (LBGT) identities.

God does not recognize any special identity on the basis of our desires, perceptions, feelings bout ourselves or our cultural context. (See Acts 15)

Our old identities must be taken to the Cross and left in the waters of baptism. We are given and put on new identities and new minds in the new birth and continually through the process of repentance and sanctification by the power of the Holy Spirit.

"The majority of the African Provinces at this Conference are being ambushed by an agenda that is contrary to the beliefs and practices of our various Provinces. We have come to this Conference to share ideas on critical issues in the development of our continent and provide spiritual and moral leadership for our people.

Any thought of abandoning our Communion with any member of the body will hurt; for when one part of the body is injured the whole suffers. CAPA must not be used as a pawn in battles it is not party too. CAPA as you all know is not an organ of the Anglican Communion but a fellowship of Provinces of Africa. Therefore, issues of doctrine are better addressed as it has always been by individual provinces."

From a letter from provinces of Central and South Africa in response to the "CAPA Primates' Communiqué". Bluff has been called.

Further, the moratoria are also pathetically insufficient for the problem. No NEW 'gay' bishops???

Puh-leeze.

Has Anglican Fudge(TM)***(come from the epicenter of the Global South?

*** "Anglican Fudge (TM) made by Anglican clergy for centuries, and only recently by laity in the United States, from an ancient recipe using the finest combination of ingredients: Compromise, Unbelief, Deception, Propriety, Niceness, Naivety, Compliance and Cowardliness producing the most subtle, nuanced, intoxicating and almost addictive confection anywhere. No other church has ever approached Anglicans in the production of Fudge." (from a bronze marker on the Lambeth Palace grounds.)

What about the other issues? Pantheism, scripture as the inspired word of God, Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life? TEc has way more to answer for than just sexual deviation from Scripture in the clergy. Just sever communion with them and declare ACNA as the branch of Anglicanism iin NA. Otherwise, run for your immortal souls.Northwest Bob

It seems to me that the CAPA communique is asserting, as Arbp Duncan has said, that a confessional Anglicanism is the way ahead. That would be an innovation. The closest we have come to being confessional was in the 39 Articles and the Articles have not been authoritative in the Episcopal Church. To make accepting them and the 1662 BCP as authoritative as a requirement for membership in the Communion is, IMV, a mistake.

Fr Weir,The 39 Articles and the BCP are what define us as Anglican. You feel the way you do because TEC has rejected much of the theology from these two documents. How could it be a "mistake" to revert back to the two things that make us "Anglican"?!?!It's like wanting to have the name brand "reformed" but rejecting the Westminister Confession of Faith...Canons of Dort, Heidelberg.

You, Fr. Weir, seem to want the "brand name" Anglican associated with TEC, without having to really buy into foundational parts of Anglican worship.

As reluctant as I am to engage in conversation with someone who is anonymous, I would suggest that the 1662 BCP and the Articles did define the Church of England in the 17th century, but they did not define the Episcopal Church at the end of the 18th, nor are they definitive for the Church of England now. Is the current BCP completely consistent with 1662? I'm sure it isn't. Does that make it un-Anglican? If it does, then many member churches of the Communion are probably un-Anglican as well, including the Church of England where 1662 is not widely used. Being Anglican is not a static matter, as the Lambeth Quadrilateral confirms.

What is the source of this recent, peculiar emphasis on the 1662 BCP and the 39 Articles as defining factors of "Anglicanism"? The archdiocese of Sydney, maybe? The US Protestant Episcopal Church rejected both at its inception (it's 39 Articles are not those of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion) so presumably, Anonymous, on your terms it has been in error and schism from its beginnings.

I am really not expecting a response from Anonymous. On blogs we often find people making claims without evidence and then going mute when pressed on the matter. Repeat as long as you want the claim that the Episcopal Church has rejected the faith expressed in the Articles and the 1662 BCP, but without evidence the claim is worthless.

There are long, interesting threads here and here at Stand Firm - more than 550 comments between the two thread - on the topic of Lay Presidency (a concept decidedly not to be found in the Articles or the 1662 Book, Anonymous) and the archdiocese of Sydney. What is particularly interesting is a dawning realization on the part of some of those commenting, of the fault-line that lies between "sacramental" Anglo-Catholic "reasserters" and their Evangelical and Calvinist counterparts.

Reading the Articles yesterday, I thought that the references to reservation of the Sacrament and the intercession of the Saints might be a problem for some Anglo-Catholics. In their historical context they made sense, given Roman Catholic practices, but they don't seem to make much sense to me now. Reservation has become fairly common and even Benediction is common in some dioceses and my own theology tends to affirm that those who have died may well be praying for us, just as they did in this life.